It is America night in the US Open on Thursday when the ladies semi-finals are played on the Arthur Ashe Stadium. In an amazing quirk of events all four semi-finalists are from USA which will be an exciting proposition for the home crowd.
There is no day session on Thursday in terms of singles matches with just the doubles competitions continuing prior to darkness in the Big Apple but the evening session should be full of exciting tennis.
Day 10 recap
It was not a good day for us betting wise on Wednesday. After two winners on Tuesday we lost both bets on Wednesday. In many ways it was in keeping with the event so far as we lost our first bet by half a game so I’m hoping for better on Thursday.
It was not the day to be a big name either unless you are called Rafael Nadal. He won without breaking sweat but Karolina Pliskova and Roger Federer were both dumped out of the tournament in a remarkable turn of events.
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Venus Williams vs Sloane Stephens
Tennis crowds love a story and they have two of the better ones opposing each other here. Venus Williams, fresh from overcoming a significant illness is about to play her third Grand Slam semi-final of 2017, when she faces Sloane Stephens who two months ago was ranked outside the top 950 in the world.
What Stephens has achieved this fortnight has been amazing. It isn’t as though she has had it easy either. She had to battle through a third set against Dominika Cibulkova, Julia Goerges and Anastasija Sevastova but her sheer will to win has got her through.
Williams has had to go the distance in the previous two rounds too albeit against top level opposition. Her quarter final against Petra Kvitova was the match of the tournament and dispelled any fears that she could no longer beat the top players.
This is not Stephens’ first semi-final at this level but it is her first in a while and her biggest match in quite some time and I suspect she may well have met her match here. I would think she will show glimpses of good stuff but Venus is two from two in Slam semis this year. That experience can lead her into the final.
Coco Vandeweghe vs Madison Keys
The second semi-final will be between two women who know all about each other as this is the third time in this hard court swing that they have faced off. Madison Keys has won both their previous encounters and while one was a final in Stanford neither carried the profile and attention that this will.
It was always only a matter of time before Coco Vandeweghe reached the very top level and her wins over Lucie Safarova and Karolina Pliskova has shown she has toughened up and is ready to dig in and do what needs to be done to make it into the next round. Her power game is a match for anyone on this surface.
Madison Keys came through a couple of true epics against Elena Vesnina and Elina Svitolina in the middle of this tournament so she would probably have been pleased to have a fairly comfortable quarter final. She is hitting the ball well and has shown her fighting spirit all tournament which should make her feel good.
I’m expecting a lengthy battle in this match. Both their recent matches contained more than 21.5 games and that is how I see this one playing out. I’m not sure if we will go to a third set or not, I would suggest we very well might, but even if we don’t I think the sets will be tight enough that we get at least 22 games regardless.
Tips
Back V.Williams (-2.5 games) to beat S.Stephens for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Betfair
Back her here:
Back C.Vandeweghe vs M.Keys – Over 21.5 games for a 5/10 stake at 1.75 with BetVictor
Back it here:
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